06/09/2020

We Step Aside: “Libraries on the Frontlines”

Examining neutrality and social justice

Rather than posts from either our regular bloggers or guests, this week The Scholarly Kitchen is stepping off the stage to instead spotlight research and researchers writing about systemic racism from around the globe and from multiple disciplinary perspectives. As the blog of the Society for Scholarly Publishing (SSP), the mission of The Scholarly Kitchen is to highlight information and insights from the dynamic world of scholarly communications: research and scholarship sits at the center. We have linked to open content or reproduced where licenses allow. Next week, we will post reflections and readings about our industry. Please also read last week’s statement from the SSP Board of Directors and Co-Chairs of the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee, “Reaffirming our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.”

Yesterday, we featured the February 2020 issue of The BMJ on racism and medicine. All 28 articles in that issue are open to read.

Today, we feature, “Libraries on the frontlines: Neutrality and social justice,” an article authored by Sarah Park Dahlen, Renate Chancellor, Shari Lee, Amelia Gibson, Yasmeen Shorish and Nicole Cooke and published in Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: An International Journal in 2017.

From the abstract:

• “The purpose of this paper is to examine libraries’ responsibility to engage with and support communities of color as they challenge systemic racism, engage in the political process, and exercise their right to free speech. Many libraries have ignored the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement, citing the need to maintain neutrality. Despite extensive scholarship questioning the validity of this concept, the framing of library neutrality as nonpartisanship continues. This paper examines librarianship’s engagement with, and disengagement from black communities through the lens of the BLM movement. It also explores the implications of education, engagement, and activism for people of color and libraries today.”  

Please select this link to read the complete article from The Scholarly Kitchen.